METHOD OF PACKIXG PLANTS FOR EXPORTATIOT. 343 



friend Mr. A. T. Thompson, to whom I had submitted 

 some of that moss, for a chemical analysis, and whose let- 

 ter I now enclose. 



The manner in which I have been accustomed to pack Mwle of pack- 

 up plants is as follows. When the moss is collected f rom "'^ ^''*'"'"" '"'• 

 the bogs in which it grows, it should be pressed, in order 

 to drain out as much moisture as possible, and having boxes 

 prepared of sufficient sixes for the young trees, (which may 

 in some instances be shortened in their branches^, I lay iti 

 the bottom of the box as much moss as vvill, when pressed 

 with the foot, remain of the thickness of four inches. A 

 layer of the plants should then be put thereon, observing 

 that the shoots of each other do not touch, and that the 

 space of four inches be left round the sides; after this, 

 another layer of moss, about two inches thick, is placed, 

 and then more plants ; and I thus proceed, till after the 

 ■whole of the plants are pressed down as tight as possible, 

 and the box filled within four inches of the top, which space 

 must be filled with the moss: the contents are then trodden 

 down with the foot, and the box nailed closely up. 



When trees are intended to be sent to distant countries, Treatment of 

 I should- ad vise such to be selected as are small and healthy ;the trees when 



tliGV smvCa 

 and when arrived at their place of destination, they should 



be cut down quite close, even to the second or third eye 

 from the graft, or, in trees not grafted, as near the former 

 year's wood as possible ; and having prepared beds according 

 to the following mode, let them be planted therein, to serve 

 as a nursery; for trees of every description suffer so much 

 from removal, that, unless the weather is particularly favour- 

 able, they do not recover it for some time, even when only 

 transplanted in their native climate. I do not think it ad. 

 visable, therefore, to plant them at once, where they are 

 liable to suifer from want of water, and other attentions ne- 

 cessary to their perfect growth. I therefore recommend 

 beds to be thus prepared for them, viz. On some level spot 

 of ground, mark out beds five feet wide, and leave walks 

 or alleys between them, of two feet wide, throwing a por- 

 tion of the earth out of the beds upon the alleys, so as to 

 kare them four inches higher than the beds. 



If 



